Medal of Valor Awarded to Public Safety Officials

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has awarded the state's Medal of Valor to nine public safety officials for heroism in their efforts to save lives in 2012. The medals were presented Wednesday to personnel from the state Highway Patrol, police departments, a sheriff's office and a fire protection district. Nixon says each took "swift, decisive and courageous action" to protect the public. The recipients are: Highway Patrol Trooper David Crank; Angela Hawkins and Michael Betz, of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; Thomas Kenyon, of the O'Fallon Police Department; Michael Vernon, of the Florissant Police Department; Kevin Bacon, of the West County EMS and Fire Protection District; Gerad Gonzalez, of the Manchester Police Department; Jared Debrecht, of the Iron County Sheriff's Department; and Robert Bratcher, of the Liberty Police Department.